Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends Thai Pongal at 10 Downing Street

The third annual Thai Pongal celebrations at No.10 Downing Street, took place on the evening of Monday 20th January 2025.

Attending his first Thai Pongal event at No.10, was Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In his speech he spoke about Thai Pongal and the contribution made by the British Tamil community. He was joined by British Tamil MP Uma Kumaran, and took time to meet with guests from the British Tamil community.

Ruby’s, the leading caterers for Sri Lankan & South Indian events, provided a delicious selection of Tamil inspired canapés for the second year running.

Thamarai was tasked by Downing Street to provide traditional performances for the evening, which included a Bharanatyam performance, and live Carnatic music courtesy of British Tamil musicians Nish Raj (morsing), Anu Mohan (flute) and Ram Siva (mridangan).

Gracing the stage and performing the Bharanatyam routine was award winning young dancer Ms. Tharenya Sriharan, who in 2024 secured the first runner-up prize in the Bharatnatyam Dance category of the “Pratibha Sangam” competition organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The Biomedical engineering student at UCL was flown to India to represent Great Britain.

Tharenya is a student at the Natyakshetra School of Bharathanatyam, founded by her teacher Thiriveni Sangarakumar, who specialises in the Kalakshetra style of Bharathnatyam. Created by the late Rukminidevi Arundel, the Kalakshetra style is noted for its angular, straight, ballet-like kinesthetics, and its avoidance of Recakas and of the uninhibited throw (Ksepa) of the limbs.

click here to watch a recap video from the event. Available on Instagram.